Nash & Mason Lead Blue Jackets Past Stars 4-1
DALLAS (AP) -- Rick Nash scored twice, Steve Mason made 36 saves, and the Columbus Blue Jackets registered their first regulation road win of the season, 4-1 over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
Antoine Vermette added a goal, and John Moore contributed two assists for the Blue Jackets, who had been 3-12-2 on the road. All three victories had come in overtime or shootout.
Fedor Tyutin's empty-net goal with 2 seconds left clinched the victory for the Jackets, who have an NHL-worst 25 points.
Vernon Fiddler had a goal for Dallas, and Kari Lehtonen stopped 25 shots in his return from a 12-game absence while recovering from a groin injury.
Nash got the Blue Jackets off to a fast start when he popped a loose puck past an out-of-position Lehtonen and into an open net at 3:50 of the first period.
Fiddler tied it at 8:57, striking off a scramble in front of the net after Mason fumbled the puck while making the initial stop.
Vermette sent a rebound past Lehtonen at 2:10 of the second to put Columbus in front 2-1.
Nash notched his team-high 12th goal on a snap shot from the slot at 6:09 of the third. Nash has 17 goals in 32 games against Dallas.
NOTES: Columbus D James Wisniewski was hit in the left ankle by a Dallas shot in the second period and didn't return. ... Dallas LW Brenden Morrow was knocked out of the game early in the third period by an undisclosed lower body injury. ... D Sheldon Souray (ankle), F Tomas Vincour (knee) and D Stephane Robidas (foot) sat out for the Stars. ... G Curtis Sanford (hip, back), LW Kristian Huselius (lower body) and D Radek Martinek (concussion) missed the game for Columbus. ... The Blue Jackets opened a stretch of five of six games on the road. ... Rookie Richard Bachman was 5-2 while subbing for Lehtonen after veteran backup Andrew Raycroft went 2-8. Bachman became the backup when Raycroft was assigned to the Texas Stars of the AHL on Thursday after clearing NHL waivers.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
